Diaphragm support for personal wear



June 17, 1930. v.- FfKEMP DIAPHRAGM SUPPORT FOR PERSCNAL WEAR Filed Jay. 16, 1950 Patented June 17, 1930 PATENT OFFIC VIVIAN FITCH KEMP, 0F BRIXTON, LONDON, ENGLAND DIAPHRAGM SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL .WEAR

Application filed January 16, 1930, Serial No. 421,242, and in Great Britain January 2, 1929.

This invention relates to a new garment for ladies intended to support that part of the body that covers the diaphragm and is situated between the breasts and abdomen, and has for its object to provide means adapted to prevent the protrusion of the soft tissue in that region which is increased by the tissue displaced when the wearer stoops.

It has heretofore been proposed to provine wide strip of elastic webbing to confine this part of the body but this is both uni with the result comfortable to the wearer, owing to the greater tension and resulting pressure along the centre line of the strip where the displacement is greatest which leaves the edges of the said strip slack, and is ineffective because the slack portions of the strip are apt to become creased in the horizontal direction and pleats are formed.

The present invention consists in providi g a support that will impose a uniformly increasing pressure on the excessive or displaced tissue and at the same time readily adapt itself to the contour without creasing, that it immediately resumes its normal form when it is relieved of the tension caused by the displaced tissue.

The improved garment is composed of two or more relatively narrow strips of elastic or non-elastic material that converge towards their extremities where they are joined together, the length of the said strips being such that they conform to the desired shape by compressing the displaced or excessive tissue that they confine by imposing a substantially uniform pressure upon all parts of it. Preferably the edges of the aforesaid strips overlap like the laths of a Venetian blind so that they slide on each other in order to contract the width of the garment instead of creasing. Alternatively the aforesaid strips may be so arranged that one or more of them overlap the adjacent strip on both sides of it.

In order to preserve the relative disposiupwardly, or,

tion of-the strips referred to they may be attached at a short distance from their extremities where they overlap, by one or more lines of stitching which preferably diverge instead of or in addition to such stitching a suitable stiffener may be attached to each of the strips atthe points indicated. a

The improved garment may be provided with straps that pass around the wearers body, or the extremities of the elastic strips may be adjustably attached to the upper edge of the wearers corsets and where a bust bodice or brassiere is worn the upper ed 'e of the improved diaphragm support may e provided be attached to such bust bodice or brassiere.

According to another'construction the extremities of the aforesaid elastic strips may be attached to the inside-or outside of a brassiere,corselette or other like garment at that part corresponding with the position of the wearers diaphragm,

It will be understood that the improved garment is not limited in its application solely for supporting the diaphragm but may beused with equal facility for the support of the abdomen, knee or other part of the body where the movements of the wearer result in the relative contraction and sion of the skin or where'the skin wrinkles in one position and is stretched in another.

I will now proceed to describe the present invention more particularly with the of the accompanying drawing which illustrates oneform of my improved support laid outflat. l i a Referring to the drawing, the support illustrated comprises three elastic strips 0, b and c suitably secured at their ends as by stitching. cl. The strips a and c are also secured at points between their ends, to the centre strip 6 by stitching e j which may be divergent as shown or parallel according to the particular use to which the support is to with straps or tabs to enable it to expan-v be put. The angle included between the stitchings e and 7 determines the relative amount by which the strips a and 0 move towards the strip 6 when the device is put in tension longitudinally or compressed laterally. As shown the strip a will admit of greater movement than the strip 0 whilst if the stitching e is parallel to the stitching f the strips a and 0 will be susceptible of equal movement. Means are provided at each end of the strips of securing the device to the person or garments of the wearer in such manner that said strips are put in tension. Such means may comprise hooks or the like, or a belt 9 may be provided having suitable means of adjustment between its extremities and a buckle or hooks h and eyes z' for fastening the same. \Vhen it is desired that the belt 9 be elastic it may be formed integrally with the centre strip 7).

Further means for preventing the support being displaced, such as tabs for securing the diaphragm support to a brassire, may be provided. It is preferred, however, that such further means be secured to the centre strip 6.

According to a modified mode of retaining the support in position, it may be fashioned integrally with another garment such as a corset, brassiere or corselette in which' event the belt 9 is not necessary.

The construction of the improved support is such that a pouch is formed by the strips which when tensed is adapted to conform to the desired portion of the wearer at the outer edges of the strips (1 and 0 and to support same. \Vhen any movement of the wearer takes place that tends either to stretch or contract the skin on that portion of the body that is being supported, the strips 72 and a slide over the strips a and 6 respectively so that the device is not creased and does not injure the skin. By forming the support of a larger number of elastic strips greater lateral flexibility is secured and by replacing or supplementing the stitching e f by. stiffeners, additional support is given.

I claim:

l. A support for personal wear comprising a central elastic strip, arcuate diverging operatively opposed strips respectively disposed on opposite faces of said central strip in overlapping relation thereto, the respective end portions of all the strips being permanently secured together, means for connecting the end portions of said central strip, and means for maintaining said strips in overlapping relation at all points under all conditions of use.

2. A support for personal wear comprising a central elastic strip, arcuate diverging operatively opposed strips respectively disposed on opposite faces of said central strip in overlapping relation thereto, the respective end portions of all the strips being permanently secured together, means for connecting the end portions of said central strip, means for maintaining said strips in overlapping relation at all points under all conditions of use, and means passing across portions of one of said arcuate strips and secured to said central strip for holding said support in proper position on the wearer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification at 61 and 62 Chancery Lane, London, W. C. 2, England, this 20th day of December, 1929.

VIVIAN FITCH KEMP. 

